Non-penetrating cleat arrangement



May 19, 1970 J. LEAVITT NON-PENETRATING CLEAT ARRANGEMENT 8 6 9 1 L 1 l m. A d e l 1 F United States Patent Ofifice 3,512,275 Patented May 19, 1970 3,512,275 NON-PENETRATING CLEAT ARRANGEMENT John L. Leavitt, 921 S. Mason Road,

Creve Coeur, Mo. 63141 Filed Apr. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 717,570 Int. Cl. A43c 15/16 US. Cl. 3659 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cleat arrangement of resistingly pliable material such as rubber formed with a series of wedge-shaped openings enlarging outwardly from. the center of 'the cleat, having V-shaped bottom walls (the cleat being inverted), and having additional V-shaped recesses vertically disposed in each side wall. The surfaces are preferably ribbed both on the top surface of the cleat and in the Wedge-shaped openings of flanged tubular rigid insert if used in attaching the cleat. Severalcleats are used on each sole and may be made integrally with the sole.

SUMMARY OF THE 'INVENTION The function of the cleat is to resist slipping as by athletes such as football players, mountain climbers and the like. It is especially designed for use with artificial turf, and to minimize the injury to opposing players that happens with ordinary rigid cleats. It functions to resist skidding because not only do the fingers themselves dig into the turf more than would a single massive block of rubber-like material, but also because the various wedgeshaped openings trap the turf as the cleat slips across it causing the turf to be wedged and seized by the walls of the tapered openings. This effect is enhanced by having some degree of resiliency in the cleat material and also by having ridges on all of the walls of the cleat including the wedge-shaped opening. There are lateral wedge-shaped openings in each of the fingers that open from the side walls of the principal wedge-shaped openings, and these also aid in the gripping action on the turf. The invention is preferably incorporated in individual cleats so that five or more can be applied to the sole and two to the heel in conventional array, and so they may be removed and replaced readily. The present cleat arrangement will perform in superior fashion in synthetic turf, hard ground that is frozen or dry, rocky terrain, bare ground, and will perform with comparable effectiveness to the penetrating cleat on normal turf but with great reduction in hazard to the wearer and to other players.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one of the cleats inverted;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the cleat;

FIG. 3 is a vertical medial section on the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the sole of a shoe showing an arrangement for the cleats.

In FIG. 3 a sole is illustrated as having five cleats 11 in the forepart thereof and two cleats 11 on the heel. Other arrangements are possible and this is only typical. The several cleats are preferably separably attached to the sole 10 in one of the conventional manners either with screw or socket arrangements. The one here illustrated in the drawings is adapted to receive a screw that fits into a complementary fitting in the sole 10. Less desirable but possible is the molding of the sole and the cleats in one unit, this being possible because of the shape of the cleats.

An individual cleat is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and 3. The cleat 11 there illustrated has a bottom surface 15 slightly dished so that it will fit better and more snugly under the sole of the shoe. The cleat is shown as being octagonal in plan view and its top surface made up primarily of the top surfaces of all of the fingers is designated 16. The eight sides, reading clockwise are designated 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. The cleat is entirely symmetrical about both axes so that a description based on the two sides 20 and 21 will suffice for all, similar reference numerals indicating corresponding parts with respect to the other walls.

As illustrated, there is a central securing fastening opening 26 with a reinforcing element 27 molded therein. This element 27 is in the form of a flanged tube that can receive a fastening screw or like member engageable with a complementary member in the sole 10 to secure the cleat in place. However, the securing member must be removable so that the cleats can be replaced.

Referring to the wall 20, there is a wedge-shaped recess therein generally designated 30. An identical recess extends into the wall 21 at the middle thereof, and an identical recess 30 extends in from the wall 22. The recess 30 tapers inwardly. It will be seen that the bottom of the wedge-shaped recess 30 is itself formed of two meeting and sloping walls as indicated at 35. Additionally, the two side walls have vertical V-shaped recesses 36 opening thereinto. The side walls and the bottom walls, as well as the walls of the lateral recesses 36 are all ribbed or otherwise shaped or surfaced to increase friction.

The several wedge-shaped openings thus provide eight fingers 38, the top surfaces of which are transversely ribbed to increase friction and the sever-a1 fingers being somewhat resilient which enhances their ripping power and also reduces the danger to personnel from their use. The outer surfaces of the cleats are preferably sand finished or otherwise roughened to increase resistance to slip.

USE OF THE DEVICE Because there are fingers and V-shaped recesses opening radially for each cleat, the anti-slippage factor is at a maximum, especially on artificial turf.

If the foot slips across the turf, portions thereof are gathered into two or more of the wedge-shaped recesses 30. As the slippage continues the turf is wedged toward the center of each cleat and tightly seized so as to stop slippage. This action is enhanced by the sloping walls 35. It is also enhanced by the presence of the lateral recesses 36 which also tend to make the outer portions of the fingers themselves somewhat more resilient and therefore more able to bite into the turf. Needless to say, the antislipping action is further enhanced by the presence of the ribs. Even after the ribbing on the top surface 16 has worn down, there will be the greater anti-slipping action provided by the ribbing in the recesses or notches which will not wear rapidly.

Because the cleat is symmetrical, it can be loosened and rotated in case the wearer causes excessive wear on one side. Replacement is very simple as will be obvi- 'ous.

Various changes and modifications may be made Within the process of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe cleat, a unitary block-like member of resistingly elastic material of a size so that one or more can be mounted on the sole of a shoe, the block having side walls providing lateral surfaces, a tread surface, and a mounting surface opposite the tread surface, a plurality of spaced, radially disposed recesses forming in the tread and lateral surfaces, the recesses converging inwardly from the side walls of the block through the lateral surfaces of which they open, the spacing between said recesses forming a plurality of radially disposed fingers upstanding be- 3 tween the recesses, the inwardly converging recesses being adapted to seize turf when the cleat slips across the same. 2. I he cleat of claim 1 wherein the recesses extend from the tread toward the mounting surface' of the cleat, but

terminate short of the mounting surface to provide bottom walls for the recesses, the bottom wallsconvergi'ng down wardly from the opposite sidewalls ofeach recess to aid in .causing the turf to be compressed and seized by the cleat when it slips across the same.

3. The cleat arrangement bf claimil wherein there is an additional vertical recesses in each side Wall of each finger, these vertical recesses opening into the radially disposed recesses, and providing additional means to;. engage turf that enters the latter recesses.

4. The cleat arrangement of claim 1 wherein the cleat is formed of moldable material with ribbing n the tread surface and on the Walls of the radially disposed recesses.

5. The cleat ot claim lfwherein the block-like member is polygonal andihe side walls are vertical and intersect the tread surface at substantially right angles to provide edges on the fingers that can dig into the turf when slippage occurs. 1 a V 6. The cleat of claim 5, wherein the side walls of the radially disposed recesses are vertical to provide side edges on the fingers that can dig into, the turf. 7

7.,The cleat of claim 1, wherein the block is substantially symmetrical about a center, and there is a mounting means to, attach it to a shoe in a plurality of positions about the center, whereby it can be repositioned in the event of irregular wear.

8. The cleat of claim 1, wherein the block is polygonal,

with a plurality of larger sides and an equal number of smaller sidesi one radially disposed recess occupying sub stantially the width and top of each smaller side and one occupying only the middle part of the side and top of the larger side, thereby providing the gripping fingers; the recesses having substantially vertical walls to provide abrupt edges on the fingers, that can digintoturf.

9. The cleat arrangement, of claim 1, and a sole for a. shoe, and at least one of the cleats integrally-formed with said sole.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTs 188,854 3/1877 Buxton et a1. 1,440,060 12/1922 Conger.

1,710,976 4/1929 'Harshberger. 2,423,753 7/1947 Brooks 36T59XR FOREIGN, PATENTS 455,022 2/1950 'Italy. 156,642 7/1939 Austriar- MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner I r G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner 

